


Watch From A Safe Place

by stars28



Series: Agent Carter Fics [2]
Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: Angst, M/M, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-22
Updated: 2017-03-22
Packaged: 2018-10-09 09:05:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10408713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stars28/pseuds/stars28
Summary: Daniel felt guilty for focusing on Peggy as much as he did. He knew that Jack thought he was in love with the only female Agent in the office.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Here’s another Jack/Daniel fic… I’m doomed when it comes to this pairing. Also, this is my 50th fic on AO3, which is kind of insane, if you ask me.

_“You're just a daydream away_  
_I wouldn't know what to say if I had you_  
_And I'll keep you a daydream away_  
_Just watch from a safe place_  
_So I never have to lose…”_  
**\- A Daydream Away, All Time Low.**

Daniel felt guilty for focusing on Peggy as much as he did. He knew that Jack thought he was in love with the only female Agent in the office. Knowing that hurt, because it wasn’t _Peggy_ he was in love with. No, he was in love with Jack Thompson, his golden-haired male colleague. He could hardly _say_ that though.

He’d known that he’d felt something more than friendship with the other Agent when they’d been paired together on a case and they’d worked well together picking up clues and fitting them all together, despite Thompson’s near constant jibes at him about his leg. It was all in good humour, Daniel knew. It wasn’t like Thompson intended to offend, just to have a laugh. It could have been worse, _much_ worse. He could’ve been paired with an Agent that didn’t believe that he could do the physical aspects of their job. Although Thompson made fun of him, he clearly knew and trusted that Daniel could do the job and he, apparently, knew when enough was enough, when to focus on the job. Unlike most of the other Agents in the office, with the exception of Peggy.

* * *

Over the following few weeks, Daniel found himself watching the other Agent as he did his work, head bent over his desk, circling possible leads, startling blue eyes focused on the paper on his desk. He couldn’t help the fluttering in his chest whenever Jack smiled in his direction, which, granted, wasn’t as often as Daniel would’ve liked. But he couldn’t have everything.

He still talked with Peggy, to keep up the pretence of trying to flirt with her, but his heart wasn’t in it. Hadn’t been for a while now. He thought Peggy knew that, she was smart. Jack still teased him about being sweet on Peggy, an attractive smirk on his face, lighting up his blue eyes. Which was true, Daniel supposed, just not for Peggy.

The things about Jack that used to be irritating were now endearing, not that he could say that to the other Agent. But that didn’t stop him from thinking about how the grey suit Jack owned fitted him just that bit better than his others – emphasizing his strong arms – or how his last name falling from Jack’s kissable lips sent a shiver down his spine.

_Fuck._

* * *

When he was alone in his apartment, Daniel allowed himself to daydream about a future with Jack. A lifetime spent with the one he loved. He sighed, letting his head fall back onto the cushion of the couch. He was so fucked if he could picture a whole future with Jack.

_“Hey Jack!” He said, smiling widely as his love came into the small kitchen._

_Jack smiled crookedly, “Hello Daniel.”_

_Jack crossed the kitchen in a few large strides and put his arms around Daniel, who leant back against his boyfriend._

_“How’d you sleep?” Daniel asked, accepting the kiss on the cheek that Jack gave him._

_“Good.”_

Simple daydreams like that, Daniel decided, were going to be the death of him.

* * *

“Sousa! Stay with me!”

It was Jack, Daniel thought muzzily, lifting a hand in the direction of the voice. The pain in his stomach increased as he moved.

A moment later a warm hand was grasping his tightly and he mumbled indistinctly, “Jack…”

“Sousa! _Daniel!_ ”

Huh. Jack said his first name. And now the world was fading to black.

* * *

He woke up to a pounding headache and a clinical white room, which meant he was in hospital. He had no idea why he was here though. His last memory was just pain and, oh. Jack saying his first name. He smiled woozily, feeling his heart beat hard.

Daniel attempted to move to see the rest of the room but was thwarted by the pain radiating from his stomach. Tears sprung in his eyes. He groaned in pain, which alerted the person who’d – apparently – been waiting for him to wake up.

Through blurry vision, Daniel recognised the blonde hair belonging to Jack and rasped, “Jac – Thompson?”

Jack had been waiting for him to wake up. _What?_ He was confused from more than just the drugs they’d given him, seeing as his pain was tolerable.

“Sousa?”

The concern in Jack’s voice was almost his undoing. He was glad that there were already tears in his eyes because if there hadn’t been, he’d have to make an excuse up as to why he was tearing up at the thought of Jack Thompson, the man he was (secretly) in love with, showing obvious concern for his wellbeing.

“Why are you here?” He asked instead of confessing his undying love for the other Agent. That didn’t change the fact that it was on the tip of his tongue though, just waiting to be said.

The smile that appeared on Jack’s face was completely unexpected. It was beautiful, Daniel thought.

“Well, _someone_ had to stay, and Chief wouldn’t let Carter stay overnight – though she argued against it – so here I am.”

That sounded like Peggy, arguing with the Chief about the unfairness of things. He chuckled lowly.

“How long have I been out?” Daniel asked, his eyebrows scrunching together in confusion.

“Just since yesterday afternoon.” Jack replied, leaning back in the chair he was sat on.

“Yesterday… What happened yesterday?”

“Well, you – stupidly – decided to take a bullet in the stomach for me.”

He was silent as he tried to remember what happened yesterday. He had a flash of memory; a gun pointing at Jack, him leaping desperately to protect Jack, abandoning his crutch, and then all-consuming pain. _Oh right._ He’d tried to protect Jack from getting shot, like no other Agent would.

“Right.”

Jack tilted his head to one side, causing his blonde hair to fall over one blue eye, as he asked, almost gently, “Why did you do that Daniel?”

Daniel gulped audibly, his brain scrambling for an excuse that wasn’t the words _‘I love you’_. His fingers twitched nervously as the seconds stretched into minutes and he still hadn’t said anything.

“No reason.” Was the best he could come up with, and he knew it was a terrible reason.

Jack raised a blonde eyebrow, wordlessly asking for more information. The expression on Jack’s face was one of disbelief.

“I mean, you’re my partner, of course I’d protect you…” Daniel said, trying not to blush and wishing someone would come in to his room to interrupt his terrible explanation, “You’d do the same.”

“Right… And that’s the only reason?”

“Yes! Of course!” His heart was beating quickly in anxiety; he’d been so carefully in concealing his true love. There was no way Jack knew about it. He _hoped._ He really didn’t want to be persecuted or jailed for loving Jack.

Jack was quiet for a few moments before he got up, saying, “I better go and get a nurse. Make sure you haven’t got brain damage.”

Daniel laughed loudly, “Worth checking out at least.”

“Indeed.” Jack inclined his head, leaving the hospital room.

* * *

“Daniel!”

He froze in the middle of the doorway and scanned the layout of the SSR office in front of him, leaning heavily on his crutch. Peggy was advancing on him rapidly. He smiled, despite not loving her like everyone (Jack) thought, he still cared deeply for her.

“Peggy.” He said warmly, wincing a little as she gave him a hug. His wound wasn’t quite healed yet, the doctors had said it would take a few more weeks for all the pain to go. But it could’ve been worse, Jack could’ve been the one in the hospital bed. Daniel didn’t regret it and he knew that he’d do it all over again if need be.

Daniel settled down at his desk and wasn’t surprised when Jack came and leant against the edge of it. This close, he could smell the other man’s cologne; it smelt woody and would probably overwhelm a person if Jack applied it too liberally.

“So you’re back.”

“Yes I am.” Daniel replied, carefully keeping his eye trained on the pile of paperwork left on his desk. It wouldn’t do to look at Jack and think something stupid, which would make him blush, which would cause Jack to ask if something was wrong. He’d answer and then he’d be in jail before he knew that was happening. He just wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret from Jack if he asked directly.

“Good, it’ll be good not to partner with Krzeminski anymore.” Jack said.

Daniel laughed, “That your way of sayin’ you missed me?”

Jack straightened up, “No. Krezminski’s next to useless that’s all.”

A warmth blossomed in his stomach that had nothing to do with his injury and he couldn’t help smiling.

“Thanks.” Daniel said.

After a few moments, Jack wandered off to the Chief’s office, presumably to find out what the order of the day was. Daniel watched him go, his white shite emphasising his back and the grey suspenders highlighting his shoulders. In that moment, he knew with crystal clear clarity that his love for Jack would go unrequited until it went away altogether. (Though, Daniel wasn’t sure that it would go away.)

**Author's Note:**

> This ended up longer than expected, but I still like it.  
> (Side note: I think I need to write a happier JackDaniels fic next time around.)  
> Kudos and comments are love!


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